


The Rebel and The Prodigy

by Eclipse9856



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/M, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-07-28 23:15:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 9,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7660936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eclipse9856/pseuds/Eclipse9856
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim Kirk doesn't play by the rules. Pavel Chekov exceeds all expectations. No reason why they can't be friends. A collection of drabbles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> I've gotten a few requests for this pairing over the last year or so and I added it to my list like I do everything else. Then Anton Yelchin passed away and I really wanted to post something.
> 
> The longer FJim/Chekov fics that have been requested are coming at some point but for now, I give you some sort of connected one-shots. I'll mark this as complete but I will add to it as the drabbles pop into my head.
> 
> I don't own Star Trek... blah, blah, blah.

For Anton.

* * *

 

 

"Are you okay, kid?" a voice asked, moving towards him. Pavel looked up and found himself staring into the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. That wasn't natural, couldn't be. Maybe he'd ask… probably not. She raised an eyebrow and he realized that he was staring.

"I am fine," he managed after a moment. "Tripped."

"More like Tayla tripped you," she sighed and knelt to check his ankle, which was starting to swell. "I get that this place is supposed to be competitive but injuring people to get ahead is just low. I mean, is that really the kind of person Starfleet wants?"

"I do not know," Pavel muttered. There wasn't much we else he could think to say, not with a pretty girl fussing all over him. "I don't think so."

"Me neither," she said with a bright smile. He'd always heard of a smile like that but he never thought he'd see one at Starfleet Academy. Pavel knew a lot of things, he was a child prodigy after all, but he didn't know anything about girls. Smiling like that had to be a good thing. Right?

"Good news, it's probably not broken. Bad news, you shouldn't put any weight on it until a doctor gives you the okay. Lucky for you, my roommate just happens to be one of the best doctors around." She offered her arm. "Come on, you can lean on me."

"Okay. I'm Pavel. Pavel Andreievich Chekov," he said as he gripped her arm and she pulled him to his feet.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Pavel Andreievich Chekov. I'm Jim Kirk."


	2. Surprises

"Wait a minute, you're MisterCleanUp?" Jim asked from where she was sitting on the floor in his dorm. You would've thought that he told her that he was Santa Claus with the way she looked at him.

"Da. But you cannot tell anyone that you know it's me," he told her. His hacking days were behind him. At least, they were supposed to be.

"God, that is so cool," she chuckled. "All this time I thought I was dealing with this sweet, innocent teenager and here I find out that he's the guy who gave the Russian Mob a run for its credits."

"Hey, I am sweet," Pavel smiled.

"Yes, Pavel, you are very sweet. I just… It's not every day that you find out that your friend is a white-knight hacker. I thought I was the rebellious one."

"It was not rebellious to do the right thing."

Jim smiled, "I'm so getting that tattooed somewhere."


	3. Back-up

“It was not Jim, sir,” Pavel said to Admiral Barnett. She doesn’t know who or how but when she gets her hands on the person that locked Pavel in his room and tried to drown him, she was going to seriously hurt them.

“That’s her on the vid and she conveniently has no memory of where she was,” the admiral said, Pike standing next to him. It looked bad but of all the people she could hurt, Pavel wasn’t even on the list. Hell, he was one of the only people on the campus that actually treated her like a human being and not a ghost.

“I didn’t do this, sir,” Jim said. “I know you have no reason to believe that but…”

“I can prove it wasn’t her,” Pavel said.

“She tried to drown you and you want to help her,” Barnett gave him a look.

“This is all too sloppy. There is no way she would leave a trail leading back to herself. She’s a tactician, sir, her whole job is figuring the best way to get something done,” Pavel pointed out. “That, and she can’t hack the system that fast. I’m the one helping her with her programming class.”

“Contrary to popular belief, I do study. Computer programming isn’t my strongest skill,” she smiled.

“We will figure out who did this, sir,” her friend said. Barnett and Pike shared a look before they let them go.

“Thank you, Pavel,” Jim sighed. “Every time something happens, I get dragged into his office.”

“They are scared of you.”

“I haven’t done anything to be scared of.”

“Yet. You haven’t done anything yet.”


	4. Reassurance

"It's not your fault, you know," Jim said as she leaned against the wall just inside the observation room.

"I couldn't keep the transporter lock on her. I lost her. I lost Commander Spock's mother," he muttered.

"You did the best you could, Pavel. The fact that you managed to beam any of us up with everything going on was a goddamn miracle," she said with a small smile.

"Do not coddle me," Pavel snapped. Everyone keeps telling him that he did a good job and it's not his fault. But it is his fault. He should've done better. Should've tried harder. "I am the top of my class in transporter theory and I'm an expert in advanced theoretical physics, I should've been able to beam her up."

"There wasn't enough time," Jim sighed. He doesn't know when she got so close but she put her hand on his shoulder. "We can't save everyone, it's a lesson I've learned the hard way every day since the day I was born. We try like hell to get everyone home but it's not realistic. Trust me, if there's one thing I know, it's death."

Pavel looked over and saw more sadness in his friend's eyes then she could hide. That's when he realized that the man who just destroyed Vulcan and almost destroyed Earth was also the man who killed her father. She's probably had 25 years of thoughts and feelings pulling her in a million different directions.

He reached up and wrapped his hand around hers, "It's not your fault either."


	5. One Condition

"You got a minute?" Jim asked when Pavel opened his door. She looked like crap. There were circles under her eyes and she had to be a few pounds thinner. He didn't like it.

"For you, more than one," he smiled. "Though, I'm sure your time could be better spent sleeping."

"That's what Bones said."

"He is grumpy but usually right," Pavel chuckled. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just…" she paused. "Some idiot in the Admiralty decided that it would be a good idea to give me a starship. Me? I mean, they couldn't wait to get rid of me and now I'm the commanding officer of a freakin' starship. Lieutenant to Captain in a month has to be the fastest jump up the chain of command in the history of the fleet."

"Third."

"What?"

"It's the third fastest. There was Petty Officer to Commander in twenty-two-oh-three and an Ensign to Captain in twenty-two-ten. Unlike you, neither one of them saved the world. So, there's that."

"Oh. I guess that helps a little," Jim let out a breath and dropped down on the edge of his bed. None of them expected any of this, her less than most. Jim had prepared herself for the chance that they were going to kick her out after she played fast and loose with the Kobayashi Maru. "You wanna come with me?"

"With you where?"

"On the ship. They're giving me the Enterprise and I was wondering if you'd want to stay as the navigator."

"You're really asking me?" Pavel gave her a look. "I've wanted to be on the Enterprise since I knew it existed." He thought about it for a minute and smiled. "I have one condition if I'm going to be your navigator."

"Name it and it's yours,"

"You take your boots off, lay down and get some sleep."


	6. I Know You're Awake

"This is why you don't take him on missions, Jim," Doctor McCoy grumbled at her.

"Seriously, Bones," Jim said to her best friend. "I'm the captain. When I assign people to landing parties, it's because they're the best people for the job. Same as always. I'm not going to rob Chekov of valuable training or experience because some idiots around here think he's too young. He can out-think all nine hundred people on this ship, including Spock sometimes. Besides, he saved my life. So quit your bitchin'."

Jim was tired, more tired than she cared to admit, but she wasn't moving from this spot, not until Pavel woke up. As the captain of the Enterprise, there were a bunch of logically perfect reasons to take him with her down to the planet. As Jim, it was probably an idiotic move to take him near any kind of danger. In the end, her faith in Pavel won out over her initial reluctance and she took him along for what was supposed to be an easy mission.

That should've been the long and short of it but Pavel, the little overachiever he is, never does anything in halves. Some miscommunication happened, their hosts went hostile and Pavel got stabbed defending her. Jim had to roll that over in her brain a bunch of times; he protected her.

"I know you're awake," she said with a chuckle. "Bones is gone, you can open your eyes."

"How did you catch me?" he asked quietly.

"Easy, it's a bio-bed. Heart rate changes when you're conscious. I'll have to teach you how I trick the damn thing but you can't tell Bones."

"I promise," Pavel smiled, melting away some of Jim's angst. "Is everyone else okay?"

"Spock got his bell rung but other than that, we're all good. You did a fantastic job down there," Jim told him.

"I got stabbed," he pointed out.

"Happens to the best of us. I've been stabbed, shot, strangled… beat up. Sometimes, you can't avoid getting hurt. The trick is to avoid getting killed."

"I will have to remember that for my next mission. I am going to get to go again, right?"

"I really want to say no but we both know that I'll cave given the right situation," she said with a smile. "Thank you for protecting me."

"I did not do anything that you would not have done for me."


	7. He's Not My Brother

"I didn't know you had a brother," Pavel said when he stepped into the turbolift with her.

"I don't have a brother; I have a man who shares my DNA. If I had a brother, it'd be Bones. Or Scotty. Not… whoever that man in there is," Jim sighed.

"You don't believe that," he said, stopping the turbolift and turning to face her.

"You wanna hear the part of my life that everyone ignores?" she asked sarcastically. "After my father died, my mother moved in with her brother. Uncle Frank is an angry asshole who's mean on the good days and abusive on the bad. One day, my big brother up and left. No note, no message, nothing. I was eleven and, suddenly, the only person who gave me the time of day was gone. That is when I learned the very valuable lesson that you can't depend on anyone but yourself."

"But you learned a more important lesson too," Pavel said. "You learned how to take care of yourself."

"I shouldn't've had to."

"That doesn't change the fact that you did. And now you're here. Captain of the flagship. Savior of Earth. My friend," he smiled at her. "I mean, really, knowing me should be enough."

"Well, you are the best," Jim chuckled. He was right. God how she hated it when he was right. Every time he talked it was just a simple fact and a smile. She'd get herself into so much trouble over that smile. She took a breath, "He left me, Pavel. He left me and now he's on my ship asking me to save the nephew that I didn't know I had and..."

"You have a chance to fix it," Pavel said. "You are Jim Kirk, fixing things is what you do."

"I guess I better try talking to him," she sighed. "You know, sometimes I'm not sure which one of us is the adult."

"We both are. I'm just smarter than you."


	8. Alien Rituals

"Hey, I don't know what you're grumbling about, Bones. I'm a catch," Jim said as she and Doctor McCoy walked onto the bridge.

"Oh, is that what you tell yourself, Jim?" McCoy asked. Something must've happened on the planet. Pavel glanced over at Sulu, who just shrugged.

"Doctor, as the Aianea people are not yet members of the Federation, any marriage ceremony that took place on the planet is not recognized by Starfleet," Commander Spock said.

"You got married?" Sulu asked. Pavel just turned in his chair and looked at Jim, who gave him a smile.

"Believe me, it wasn't our idea. The Aianea people had some ritual that they wanted us to participate in. Our captain decided that I just had to join her. Turns out it was a wedding," McCoy told them. "So, I now find myself dubbed 'Doctor Kirk'."

"It's not that big of a deal, Bones," Jim said.

The doctor gave her a look, "Easy for you to say, they…"

"Married us to each other and I'm a mess. I know and I'm sorry I dragged you into it. Seriously, we're not actually married. There's an extra form that goes in our report but that's it," she told her best friend with a sigh. "I wouldn't want you to be stuck with the likes of me."

"I didn't mean it that way, kid," McCoy said.

"Sounded like it," Pavel muttered under his breath. McCoy must not realize just how lucky he is. There were plenty of people all over the quadrant, Pavel included, who would kill for a chance with her. Most just wanted to be near _The_ Captain Kirk but Pavel preferred Jim. McCoy was her best and most trusted friend, and now, he was her husband, if only on one planet in the galaxy. Pavel looked at Jim, who was looking at him, "Sorry, sir."

"No apology needed, Mister Chekov," Jim chuckled. "Next time I have to get married for diplomacy, I'll take you instead of him."

"I will hold you to that, Captain," Pavel chuckled.

"You're already leaving me for a younger man," McCoy scoffed.

Jim smiled, "What can I say? I'm a sucker for his accent."


	9. Sunshine

"Ты-моё солнышко, моё еденственное солнышко," Pavel sang under his breath. "Ты радуешь меня когда небо хмурое."

"You seriously have to teach me Russian," Jim sighed from her cell a few feet away from him.

The two of them, and Uhura, were going to make a routine inspection at Gamma II when they were kidnapped right off the transporter pad by some aliens. They tried to fight the group off but the trio was overpowered. Now, they were being trained to fight as 'thralls' for some beings. At the moment, they were locked up in different cells with metal collars around their necks.

"You are my sunshine," Uhura said with a smile in her voice. "Good choice."

"Anything to help take my mind off this stupid collar," he grumbled.

"Can you teach me the Russian version?" Jim asked.

"Da. The first part is easiest. Ты-моё солнышко," Pavel told her.

"Ты-моё солнышко," the captain repeated. "Ты-моё солнышко. You are my sunshine?"

"Da. Then, there's моё еденственное солнышко," he said.

"моё еденственное солнышко. My only sunshine," Jim said with a smile. At least it sounded like she was smiling. "Ты-моё солнышко, моё еденственное солнышко."

"Ты радуешь меня когда небо хмурое," Pavel sang.

"Okay, repeat that," Jim chuckled.

"Ты радуешь меня когда небо хмурое. You make me happy when skies are gray," Uhura said. "Ты радуешь меня когда небо хмурое."

"Ты радуешь меня когда небо хмурое," Jim said. She wasn't sure about her pronunciation; he could hear the doubt in her voice.

"That is good," he told her. "You have a slight accent but you're doing good."

"So, we've got Ты-моё солнышко, моё еденственное солнышко. Ты радуешь меня когда небо хмурое," Jim repeated it all together.

"You have it. Next, there's Ты никогда не узнаешь как сильно я люблю тебя," Pavel said.

"You'll never know, dear, how much I love you," Jim sang. "I'm supposed to be repeating you. Sorry."

"It's okay," he chuckled. It was more than okay, she had a nice voice, despite her insistence to the contrary. "Ты никогда не узнаешь как сильно я люблю тебя."

"Ты никогда не узнаешь как сильно я люблю тебя?" Jim tried. "Ты никогда не узнаешь как сильно я люблю тебя."

"One more time, Kirk," Uhura chuckled.

"Ты никогда не узнаешь как сильно я люблю тебя," the captain said.

"That's it," the communications officer said.

"So, it's Ты-моё солнышко, моё еденственное солнышко. Ты радуешь меня когда небо хмурое. Ты никогда не узнаешь как сильно я люблю тебя," Jim said.

"Пожалуйста не забирай моё солнышко," he told her. Please don't take my sunshine away. In this case, Jim was probably more like the sun itself, but the point was still valid.

"Пожалуйста не забирай моё солнышко," Jim repeated.

"Now, all together," Pavel said. "Ты-моё солнышко, моё еденственное солнышко. Ты радуешь меня когда небо хмурое. Ты никогда не узнаешь как сильно я люблю тебя. Пожалуйста не забирай моё солнышко."

"Ты-моё солнышко, моё еденственное солнышко. Ты радуешь меня когда небо хмурое. Ты никогда не узнаешь как сильно я люблю тебя. Пожалуйста не забирай моё солнышко," the three of them sang.

"I can sing in Russian," Jim squealed. "That is so cool. You know you're gonna have to teach me the actual verses of the song, right?"

"Any time you want," he chuckled.

"Вы должны сказать ей, как вы себя чувствуете," Uhura said quietly. He knows that Uhura means well but there's no way that conversation would end well. Besides the fact that Jim is his friend, she's also his commanding officer. Captains do not date ensigns, they just don't.

"Я не знаю, о чем вы говорите," Pavel muttered. From the Jim Kirk School of Life; when in doubt, deny everything.

Uhura chuckled, "Keep telling yourself that, sunshine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This drabble is a reference to The Gamesters of Triskelion TOS 2x17.
> 
> I don't speak (or read) Russian but I couldn't write Chekov without it. I used two translators but if there's an issue of some kind, let me know.
> 
> Ты-моё солнышко, моё еденственное солнышко. Ты радуешь меня когда небо хмурое. Ты никогда не узнаешь как сильно я люблю тебя. Пожалуйста не забирай моё солнышко. - You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away.
> 
> Вы должны сказать ей, как вы себя чувствуете - You should tell her how you feel.
> 
> Я не знаю, о чем вы говорите - I don't know what you're talking about.


	10. Nothing's Wrong

"What is wrong with you?" Bones asked as he dropped into the seat next to her.

"Nothing," Jim sighed.

"You're four drinks in, kid, and leave just started. Try again."

"It's just… nothing. I'm not talking about it."

"Not talking about something is not the same as it being nothing," he chuckled.

"It's nothing," she said again.

"You're a horrible liar," Bones shook his head.

"I am not. Take that back."

"I take it back. Really, you can tell me what's wrong."

"It's…" Jim opened her mouth to talk and stopped herself when her 'problem' dropped into the seat on her other side. Just her luck, he was wearing a pair of board shorts and nothing else on his taller, slim and toned frame. "I thought Sulu talked you into going surfing."

"He did but I wanted to see if you want to come with us," Pavel smiled.

"No, I'm good," she smiled back.

"Okay, but if you change your mind," he said as he tapped something into her PADD, which was sitting on the bar, "that's where we'll be. See you later."

"Ahh," Bones chuckled as soon as Pavel was gone, Jim watching him until he was out of sight. "I see the problem."

"What?"

"You like the Russian wizkid."

"I do not," Jim sighed. He raised an eyebrow in the same way that Spock usually does. "I don't."

"Uh huh," her best friend said.

"Bones…"

"You two should just make out and get it over with."

"He's a kid and I'm his captain."

"He's eighteen, Jim. And you were his friend long before you were his captain," Bones pointed out before he ordered them each another drink. "I think you should go for it."

"You, hater of all things relationship related, think that I should make out with my eighteen-year-old navigator. Who are you and where is the Leonard McCoy who couldn't stand being fake married to me for an hour? Because I need advice from him."


	11. A Rescue

"Can anyone hear me?" Pavel called into his communicator. It was bad enough that the ship was crawling with these Gorn things but now he fighting with nothing but a phaser and a busted knee. The other officers were trying -and failing- to hold the lab.

"I copy you, Pavel," Jim said over comms. He doesn't know when she got back from the planet but he was grateful for it. "Are you okay?"

"No. They're trying to take astrometrics. We're pinned down and we could us some backup," he said, relaying the situation that he and the stellar cartography team found themselves in.

"Hang tight. We're coming to you," she told him. Pavel took a deep breath and returned fire at the creatures that were making quick work of his comrades. Not two minutes later, Jim and Spock flanked the intruders from one of the less obvious entrances.

"You are a sight for sore eyes," Pavel chuckled.

"You okay?" Jim asked with a smile.

"Not really," he shrugged, "but I'll live."

"If you're not careful," she said as she pulled his arm over her shoulder, "I'll get the impression that you injure yourself just so I can rescue you."

"There are worse things than being fussed over by a beautiful woman," Pavel said. One of the officers looked at him but didn't say anything.

"I'll have to remember that," Jim smiled. "I'll walk, you shoot."

He readied his weapon, "Sounds like a plan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a reference to a scene in the video game where the Gorn invade the ship.


	12. What Are You Doing?

"Captain, a word?" Pavel asked her.

"Spock, take the con," she said and walked into the conference room with her favorite navigator.

"First, I'm sorry about Admiral Pike. I know that he meant a lot to you," he said. Pavel and Bones probably knew more about her relationship with Pike than anyone else on the ship did. Being her friends in the academy, they saw a closeness that others have only heard about. They even laughed with her over the rumors that she and Pike were more than friends.

"Closest thing I ever had to a father," Jim muttered.

"I know," Pavel said. "That's why I have to say this next. What the hell are you doing?"

"Excuse me, Ensign?"

"No. You have never pulled rank in all the time I've known you, do not start now. You have always valued the advice of your senior staff, always. Don't toss us aside on some quest for vengeance."

"We have our orders."

"Since when do you follow orders? This is wrong, Jim. You know it, we all know it. If Mister Spock, Mister Scott and Doctor McCoy all agree that something's a bad idea, then it's a really bad idea."

"You done?"

"I'm done," he sighed, a dejected look on his face.

"Good. We're going to capture him," she said, referring to the maniac who killed Pike. "Our orders are to kill but I'm not a murderer. We'll capture him. With Scotty off the ship, for the moment, I need you to run engineering."

"This means that I will have to wear a red shirt," Pavel sighed and gave her a cute little pout.

"I know but I don't trust anyone else to do it."

"Well, when you put it that way."


	13. Don't Take My Sunshine Away

Jim couldn't sleep. Despite being in a coma for two weeks and spending the week after that in the hospital, she felt like it had been years since she got any actual rest. Bones didn't help much since his solution to her sleeping problems was usually a rapidly administered hypospray. Spock recommended meditation but she's never been one to settle down long enough to make it count. So, she found herself running the trails around HQ and the academy, hoping to wear herself out. Too bad it wasn't working.

"Seriously?" she sighed.

"It's the blood," came a voice from behind her. Jim mustered up a smile for her favorite navigator as he jogged over to her. She wasn't super surprised to see him; this was his favorite running trail. Though, he usually runs during the day. "You can't rest because of the blood."

"Here's hoping it'll wear off at some point," Jim told him. The blood he was referring to came from the augmented psycho that killed her mentor and tried to destroy her ship. "I don't know how much more of this I can take. To say I'm restless would be a massive understatement."

"Better than being dead," he told her.

"Maybe."

"No maybe. I saw you… in the core."

"Pavel."

"No. You died. You don't have any idea what it felt like for the rest of us. It was like the life had been drained out of the ship… You don't get to complain. You just…"

The look on his face told her more than he probably intended. Unable to stop herself, Jim closed the small gap between them and pulled him into a tight hug. Pavel's arms wrapped her waist, holding her as close as he could, not caring one bit that she was sweaty.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Not that I went into the core. The ship was falling out of the sky, I had to do something. I'm sorry that I hurt you. I didn't even realize… I didn't think anyone would even care."

"Of course we care," Pavel muttered against her ear. "I care." He kissed her cheek, then her temple before pressing his forehead against hers. "I care about you, James T. Kirk, in all your wonderful, beautiful craziness. And the next time you take my sunshine away, we're going to fight."

"I'm your sunshine?" Jim asked quietly.

"Da. Since the day we met."


	14. Roller Date

"No, no, no," Jim muttered as she almost fell on her butt again. Pavel couldn't help but chuckle as he caught her around her waist. "I suck at this."

"I cannot believe that they actually found something that you cannot do," he smiled, his hands settling on her hips.

"I didn't get to be a kid any more than you did," she sighed as she straightened herself out to try again. Pavel let her go but she reached over and tightly clasped his hand.

Because he's a socially inept child prodigy who never dated much and she's emotionally stunted daughter of a dead hero who saved the world -twice- in her own right, they let their friends plan their first few dates. The rule was simple; they had to do what they were told, no exceptions. The first two were the simplest, McCoy sent them to the library while Uhura and Spock's idea was a museum. Hikaru suggested an amusement park. Scotty is the one who came up with roller skating.

"This is easy. Just balancing your center of gravity. It's math," Pavel told her. If he was being honest with himself, he actually liked that she couldn't skate because it meant that he got to hold her without having to come up with a reason.

"You're enjoying this," Jim said as Pavel slowing skated around the loop, pulling her along. As if on cue, she fell again. This time, Pavel went down with her. Jim burst into laughter and pressed her head against his shoulder. They were going to be sore in the morning but it was worth it.

"Maybe a little."


	15. The Three Word Story Game

Why did she let them pull her into this? One second she's dying of boredom on the bridge and the next, she's giggling to herself as messages popped up on her PADD.

 _Starfleet Network Intership Text Communication  
SuluSC731-0034CCG, KirkSC937-0176CEC, ChekovSC_ _656-5827DNT, McCoyMD984-9702PDM, ScottCE739-2979TAE_

Sulu: We are all  
Chekov: living the dream  
McCoy: or a nightmare  
Scott: out in space  
Kirk: exploring the stars  
Sulu: on the USS  
Chekov: Enterprise. The best  
McCoy: tin can in  
Scott: the universe. We  
Kirk: are so cool  
Sulu: that we saved  
Chekov: the Earth from  
McCoy: some crazy idiots  
Scott: who broke my  
Kirk: beautiful silver lady.  
Sulu: People tremble in  
Chekov: fear at the  
McCoy: danger and disease  
Scott: that comes from  
Kirk: living one bulkhead  
Sulu: away from certain  
Chekov: death. But have  
McCoy: some goddamn sense  
Scott: and never leave  
Kirk: home without a  
Sulu: fully charged phaser  
Chekov: updated star charts  
McCoy: a loaded hypospray  
Scott: repaired warp core  
Kirk: a badass captain.  
McCoy: That's a good one. With that, I'm going back to work.  
Kirk: Later, Bones. I'll be down to mess with you later.  
McCoy: I will hypo you into next year if you even think about it.  
Kirk: Promises, promises.

"Hey, is that one word or two?" Pavel looked back at her and asked. "Badass. It's two words, right?"

"I thought it was one," Jim chuckled. "Spock. Is badass one word or two?"

"The use of the term…" her first officer started.

"I don't need a lesson in appropriateness. Just a quick grammar check. Is it badass or bad ass?"

"It is one word, Captain. May I inquire as to why you ask?" Spock moved from his station to stand next to her.

"Playing a game with my boys," Jim chuckled, referring to Pavel, Sulu, Scotty and Bones.

"A game?" Spock raised an eye brow.

"It's the Three Word Story Game," she smiled.

"The one where you only get three words, then the next person adds three words and so on?" Uhura asked with a smile. When Jim nodded, the communications officer chuckled. "That is game is so much fun. Can I play?"

"Sure, Bones just quit, you can take his turn," Jim said with a shrug.

Spock sighed, "Captain…"

"It's just a game to keep us from nodding off. I'm pretty sure Chekov's the only one who actually likes star charting," Jim smiled.

"And I can multitask," Pavel chuckled.

She smiled, "Yes, Mister Chekov, you can."


	16. Баю

"I should've listened to Spock," Jim muttered against Pavel's shoulder.

"That's not something you say… ever," he laughed.

"Don't laugh, makes my head hurt more," she groaned. In addition to a killer headache, she was dizzy, warm, couldn't see straight and the light made her eyes hurt. If she didn't know any better, she'd swear she was hungover.

They were on the planet Hadir III to complete their induction into the Federation. The mission was actually an easy one, so easy that she took Spock, Pavel and a pair of newbie security officers. She never thought in a million years that her boyfriend -she supposes that that's the right word- would be carrying her back to the beam out point, like actually carrying her, while Spock did whatever it is that Spock does when she's not paying attention. He told her not to drink that stuff that their hosts offered. She really should've listened to him.

"My laughing makes your head hurt. Wait until I tell McCoy."

"He's gonna hypo me."

"Probably," Pavel snickered.

"Sing me a song, Pasha," Jim whispered.

"You want me to sing you a song?"

"That's what I said. I like it when you sing. I know you have some adorable Russian song from your childhood in that head of yours. Sing me something."

"You're not going to understand it, солнышко," he told her. The Russian word for sunshine instantly helping her relax, despite all the pain she was in.

"I know but it'll make me feel better," she said. She wasn't even kidding, Pavel sings to himself all the time and it's very relaxing, even though she only knows some of the words.

"Okay. Баю-баюшки-баю. Не ложися на краю. Прийдет серенькмй волчок И укусит за бочок."

"What does that mean?"

"I'll tell you later."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chekov's singing a Russian lullaby called Баю, or Sleep
> 
> Баю-баюшки-баю, Не ложися на краю, Прийдет серенькмй волчок И укусит за бочок. - Sleep-sleep-sleep, Don't lie close to the bed side, Otherwise a grey wolf will come And bite you.


	17. Reprimand

Pavel couldn't help but shift in his boots. He never gets in trouble. Ever. Yet, he and Lieutenant Harper found themselves int the main conference room with Jim and Spock.

"Mister Harper, you were observed striking a fellow officer, which is an offense punishable by court martial. What led to the fight between you and Mister Chekov?" Spock asked.

"I prefer not to say, sir," the other lieutenant said.

"Mister Chekov?" Spock asked but Pavel was paying more attention to Jim. Her eyes had flickered up to him and he actually winced. The beautiful blue eyes that he could usually get lost in were cold and hard. She was angry, worse than that, she was disappointed.

"He's upset about my promotion," Pavel answered honestly. Not that he could actually lie to either of them.

"In what way?" Spock asked.

"He feels that my personal relationship with the captain led to my advancement," Pavel said quietly. The truth was that Jim was just as surprised as he was when his name came up on the master promotion list from HQ.

"So, I'm a prostitute, Harper?" Jim asked.

"I never said that, sir," Harper looked at her.

"You implied it. Am I reading that wrong, Mister Spock?" Jim looked over at their half-Vulcan friend.

"The definition of prostitution is the practice of engaging in sexual relations in exchange for payment or some other benefit," Spock said. "I believe your assumption is correct."

"And the brass doesn't know what it's doing either, right?" Jim asked.

"Apparently, Captain, they do not according to Mister Harper," Spock answered.

"I never said that either, sir," Harper said.

"You didn't have to," Jim practically growled. Pavel really shouldn't like that as much as he does. "You told one of my senior officers that he didn't earn his place and started a fight with him when he didn't concede to your position. For the record, I didn't promote Mister Chekov, Admiral Johnson did. You're more than welcome to argue the merits of his advancement with her. In the meantime, I do not now, nor will I ever, condone fighting between my officers. If it weren't for Mister Scott, you'd both be on your way to the nearest starbase. You're both assigned one month extra duties in engineering, Scotty gives me anything other than glowing reports, I will ship you out so fast that it'll make your head spin. This better _never_ happen again. Dismissed."

"Aye, sir," both men said before they left the room.

"I thought she was gonna go easier on us," Harper muttered.

"She's never given me special treatment, I don't know what you were expecting," Pavel scoffed.

"She's your girlfriend."

"She's the captain. There are nine hundred people on this ship, I'm one of the last she should have to worry about. You and your friends have no idea how hard it is for the both of us."

"Then why do you do it? If it's so hard to love the captain, why do it?"

"Because I've loved Jim before she was the captain. I wasn't brave enough to do anything until she died. Seeing the woman you love, lifeless… everything else is easy after that."

Harper looked down at his boots, "I didn't realize."

"You didn't ask."


	18. Я люблю тебя

"Я люблю тебя," Jim whispered.

"What?" Pavel's eyes flew open and he looked at her.

"I said that wrong, didn't I?" She hopped up to grab the PADD off her desk. Uhura had been helping her with some phrases in Russian but maybe she needed more work. Jim muttered to herself as she pulled up the lessons that she had been working on in her limited spare time. "Sorry. I was trying to… You're laughing at me."

"You're adorable when you get flustered. And no, you didn't say that wrong."

"But…"

"I just wasn't expecting it, солнышко," he said.

She gave him a look, "Because it was in Russian… or because I said 'I love you'?"

"Both. I suspected but I never thought I'd hear you say it," Pavel smiled. "I'm guessing that Uhura taught you that?"

"She did," Jim said with a chuckle.

"Well, I will have to thank her," he smiled.

"You do that," she let out a sigh as he pulled her into a hug.

"Я тоже люблю тебя, Джим."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Я люблю тебя - I love you  
> солнышко - Sunshine  
> Я тоже люблю тебя, Джим - I love you too, Dzhim (Jim). There's no J in the Russian alphabet.


	19. Answers and Questions

_Starfleet Network Intership Text Communication  
ChapelNI-596MT21Z,_ _ChekovSC_ _656-5827DNT, KirkSC937-0176CEC, McCoyMD984-9702PDM, ScottCE739-2979TAE, SpockST179-276SPE_ , _SuluSC731-0034CCG, UhuraAB487-9011WGL_

Chekov: Answer: Cetology  
Sulu: What is something you made up?  
Kirk: What is… It's a water science… I think?  
McCoy: You're both idiots. What is the study of whales and dolphins?  
Chekov: McCoy is correct.  
Chapel: How'd you know that?  
McCoy: I know a lot of things. Answer: The Cider House Rules.  
Kirk: What is a really old movie that you made me watch at the academy?  
McCoy: I really made you watch it?  
Uhura: Not just her. Gaila and I got dragged into that too.  
McCoy: Huh. I forgot about that. I guess Jim's next.  
Kirk: I can hear you scowling from here. LOL. Answer: Wellington, New Zealand.  
Sulu: What is the home of the Maori?  
Kirk: That is not the answer I'm looking for, even though that is true.  
Uhura: What is a harbor city?  
Chekov: What is the most southern capital city on Earth?  
Kirk: Chekov  
Scott: Of course.  
McCoy: I think they're sharing answers up there.  
Sulu: They're not. Though, they probably should… I want in.  
Chekov: Very funny. Answer: Iron Maiden  
McCoy: What is a band from the 1970's?  
Chekov: No. Though, I should've thought of that one.  
Spock: What is a device used for torture during Earth's medieval period?  
Chekov: The Commander takes it.  
Spock: Answer: The Pathfinder spacecraft.  
Chapel: What is the craft that landed on Mars in...? I know this.  
Kirk: 1997  
Spock: You did not respond with a question, Captain.  
Kirk: I know. I didn't want to take the point from Christine. Just help her out a little.  
Chapel: What is the craft that landed on Mars in 1997?  
Spock: You are correct.  
Chapel: Answer: On the Origin of Species  
Uhura: That's easy. What is a work published by Charles Darwin in 1859?  
Chapel: Correct  
Scott: Who's winning this thing?  
Spock: The captain, Nurse Chapel, Lt Uhura and Lt Chekov.  
Kirk: It really is sad.  
Chapel: Yea, you guys got Spock.  
McCoy: You got Jim and Chekov.  
Kirk: You have you and Scotty and Sulu.  
Scott: You have Chapel and Uhura.  
Uhura: I think it's safe to say we're all smart in our own ways.  
Chekov: Doesn't change anything. I get to spend my next shore leave with three of the most beautiful women in the universe while the rest of you have to stay on the ship.  
Chapel: No wonder Jim's nuts over you. You say the sweetest things.  
McCoy: That's because the kid's a damn romantic.  
Sulu: And you're whatever the opposite of a romantic is.  
Kirk: Answer: Leonard H. McCoy  
Chapel: Who is the clueless CMO of the Enterprise?  
Uhura: Who doesn't realize that his head nurse likes him?  
Chekov: Who is actually a romantic at heart and hides it under a bad attitude?  
Spock: Who needs to ask Nurse Chapel to go on a date with him?  
Kirk: Who needs a huge hint? *HUGE HINT*  
McCoy: What the hell are ya'll talking about?  
Scott: The lass likes you. Get up, go over and talk to her. God, I'm in engineering and even I can see what's going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're playing a modified version of Jeopardy. 
> 
> Pretending that Chapel's not there is against my religion.


	20. Jailbreak: Enterprise Style

"Do you think they're okay?" Pavel asked Spock.

They, along with Jim, Uhura, McCoy, Harper and Hendorff were on Chadi Ilan to help the locals fix the Active Plasma Variance Injector for their capital city's power grid. What was supposed to happen was Pavel, Harper and Spock were to fix the gear while Jim, McCoy, Uhura and Hendorff were going to play nice with the planet's leadership. Pavel doesn't actually know what happened, one minute, they were working and the next, they were getting tossed into a cell, Jim and Uhura unnervingly absent.

"'Okay' has various definitions," Spock told him.

"Simple answer is no," McCoy said, glaring at their captors on the other side of the force field. Pavel could probably disable it if he was on the other side but that would defeat the purpose.

"I hate this waiting crap," Hendorff groaned. The guy that Jim refers to as cupcake took his job as her favorite security officer seriously. He wasn't the most senior, that was Giotto, but the big guy she used to butt heads with at the academy was still her favorite.

"We don't have much of a choice," McCoy reminded him.

"I think they disagree with you," Hendorff said with a smirk as one of the guards went sliding across the floor. Uhura rolled into the room, disarmed another guard and knocked him out. Jim caught the other guard's arm, turned into him, shot his comrade before she slammed her elbow in his face, knocking him out.

"Where are your clothes?" McCoy asked the two women in their underwear.

"They took our uniforms and tried to sell us as sex slaves," Jim answered.

"This is our response," Uhura said, motioning to the men on the ground. "Best way to get you out?"

"Shoot the panel," Harper said.

"No," Pavel jumped in. "You shoot the panel and the alarms will sound. You have to rewire it."

"Nothing's ever easy," Jim muttered before she looked around for something to open the panel on the wall with. "Tell me what I'm looking at, Chekov."

"A bunch of wires and conduits. There should be a green one," the navigator said.

"I see it," Jim told him.

"You need to splice the three wires connected to it to each other. Then, you need to do the same thing with the blue conduit, then you need to join your new wires together without touching anything else."

"Alright," Jim sighed. Pavel wasn't even remotely worried but the rest of the group held their breaths as Jim followed his instructions and the field dropped.

"Didn't know you could actually follow directions, Jimmy," McCoy said.

"Joys of being a captain is having the option of ignoring you," Jim smiled. Pavel pulled his gold shirt over his head and gave it to her. "Thank you, Mister Chekov."

"Looks better on you anyway," he chuckled as she pulled the shirt on over the black undergarments. His eyes lingering for a second on the words -his words- tattooed on her skin from what feels like forever ago.

"Can we go back to the Enterprise now?" Hendorff asked as he took the weapons off the downed -possibly dead- guards.

"Depends. How fast can the geniuses hack that computer terminal and call Scotty?" Jim smiled.

Chekov glanced over at Spock, who gave up his own tunic for Uhura, before he smiled, "We'll be home in no time, Captain."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Technobabble is technobabbly.


	21. When You Think You've Seen Everything

"Just when you think you've seen everything," McCoy said before another fit of laughter. If it wasn't for the fact that he mentions it regularly, you'd never know that he was supposed to be a medical professional. Pavel already felt like crap and he was hungry… again. That is the last time he agrees to help anyone with anything.

"Are you okay?" Jim finally asked quietly. Suddenly, the room was dead silent. "Do you feel okay… other than… you know?"

"I'm hungry," Pavel said with a chuckle.

"I'll have Rand bring you something," she smiled, tapping something into her communicator. He was sure that the others noticed the shift from her usual command attitude to the worried girlfriend but none of them would mention it. "What do you want to do?"

"I get to decide?" he asked.

"It's your body," Jim said. "Whatever you choose, I'll back you." He could hear the layers to her statement. As his captain, she had his back. As his girlfriend, she would support any decision he made.

"I'd like to know what it is before I decide anything," Pavel said, answering his question.

"The DNA is yours, far as I can tell. Problem is the that your body isn't built to… gestate and medical science has only come so far. When it grows, it'll probably kill you," McCoy said, manipulating the hologram of Pavel's sixth intercostal space. According to Commander Spock, they were dealing with an embryo moving into the fetal stage even though Pavel was only impregnated the day before.

"What about an artificial womb?" Sulu asked as Yeoman Rand walked into the room, sat an apple, a container of trail mix and a cup of tea in front of Pavel and handed a PADD to Jim before leaving just as quietly as she entered. He realized as he listened the others that he was probably eating Jim's usual snacks since there weren't any peanuts in the container at all. Watching her go into anaphylaxis is not a fun experience.

"One of a few things we don't have on the ship," Scotty answered. "I got a team brainstorming but I cannae guarantee that we'll have what we need before something happens to the lad. That thing is growing fast."

"We also don't know what'll happen if we… disconnect the embryo from a living… host," McCoy said.

"I'll do it," Jim said. Pavel wasn't sure if he actually heard her right. She was offering to take the baby and carry it herself. That's crazy, even for her. "Woman have been having babies since the beginning of time, it's what parts of my body were built for. It sounds like all we need is an actual womb and I just happen to have one. We use the transporters and transfer the baby from Pavel to me."

"Jim, you can't just…" McCoy started but -surprisingly- Spock stopped him.

"The child poses a threat to Lieutenant Chekov's life if it remains in his body, especially with it's accelerated growth rate. Surrogacy is the only option currently open to us. As Chekov's significant other, the captain would be the most logical choice to carry his child to term safely," the first officer pointed out. This is probably the first time Spock called one of Jim's ideas logical.

"I can do the transporter work," Scotty said with a smile. "I'll just need to get the right readings from McCoy to make it as seamless a transition as possible. Of course, it's all up to the lad."

"Well?" Jim looked at him with a smile.

"I would be honored for you to carry my child," Pavel said. As soon as the words came out his mouth, he felt his face heat. "I didn't mean it that way."

"Yes, you did," she said with wink. "Bones, Spock, Scotty, work out the logistics and let me know when you want us in the medbay."

"Now's as good a time as any," McCoy told her.

"The brass is gonna love this," Uhura chuckled.

"We're not gonna tell them for the time being. Let us handle one thing at a time," Jim smiled. "Bones, we'll be down in a minute. You're all dismissed."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Pavel asked as soon as they were alone. "We never talked about… any of this."

"Never really thought about it to be honest," Jim said with shrug as she walked over and stole a bite out of his apple.

"Hey, pregnant guy here," he chuckled.

"Not for long," she smiled.

"So, I know you better than you think I do, so I'm gonna ask again. Are you sure about this?"

"Truth? I never thought you'd want to have kids with me."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm a crazy danger magnet and my idea of home and family is a mess."

"I happen to think that you would make a great mother," Pavel told her.

"You do?" Jim gave him a look between shock and disbelief.

"Yes, I do," Pavel said, taking both of her hands in his. "Didn't think it'd be this soon."

"Technically, you're the mother," she smiled.

"My point still applies. You have one of the biggest hearts of anyone I have ever known. Whatever happens, I know that you will not let anything happen to this child or any other child. Though, explaining it too the admirals is going to be very interesting."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this one is actually getting another part.


	22. Baby Makes 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This follows the events of the last chapter.

"Within the Forlanei culture, granting someone the gift of a child is the highest honor. Unlike us, all four of their genders can bear children. Also, unlike us, sexual contact is not required. When the engineer showed Chekov that sphere and performed the prayer, he was attempting to thank him in the most honorable way his people know," Uhura told them.

"Did you get anything else from them?" Jim asked from the bio-bed in a private room. Thank you, Bones.

"Because of the nature of his conception, the baby will grow rapidly until he's an adult, at which point, his growth will slow to resemble ours," the communications officer told her.

"How long?" Pavel asked from his chair next to the bed, a little bundle of awesome in his arms.

"Doctor McCoy and I estimate that your son will grow to full maturity in twelve days," Spock said.

"And the brass?" Jim asked.

"We're on patrols for the time being," Uhura said. They all gave her a look. "I might've called a friend of my mother's; Commodore Paris."

Commodore Naima Paris, who just took command of the new Starbase Yorktown, was one of those officers who everyone listens to, even if they outrank her. Paris was a veteran of Axanar, Donatu V and a whole slew of missions that nobody knows about. She was also a lot like Pike, trusting her officers to do what they needed to do without micromanaging their actions. If Paris has their back, then there's a very good chance that nobody will bother them about any of this.

"Oh, you beautiful woman," the captain chuckled. "I'd kiss you but you'd hit me for it. Might still be worth it."

"I think your boyfriend might have a problem with that," Uhura smiled.

"Nope," Pavel chuckled. "I'd kiss you too but Mister Spock would do that nerve pinch thing."

* * *

"Мама, я знаю, как написать компьютерный код," the little boy who slammed into her legs.

"English, Yuri. Mama only speaks little Russian," Pavel said as he followed their son -yes, their son- down the corridor. She stifled a giggle at the image of the energetic navigator actually having to chase someone around the ship.

"He's like eight," Jim muttered. When she saw him at lunch, little Yuri Pavlovich Chekov, was about four. Pavel gave her a nod as their son explained how he helped Spock with the computer system and learned a few languages from Uhura. "Sounds like you learned quite a bit."

"Mister Scott said I can spend the day with him tomorrow, if it's okay with you," Yuri said with an almost non-existent accent, a big smile on his face and glee that radiated off of him like it did his father.

"That is fine with me but you have an appointment with Uncle Bones after breakfast," she said. Her best friend was never, ever, going to live that name down.

* * *

"Two," Jim whispered against Pavel's chest.

"Two what?"

"I've always wanted two kids. When I was younger… like before Sam left and before Tarsus, I wanted two kids."

"Boys or girls or one of each?"

"Didn't matter. Happy and healthy was enough for me."

"I wanted three," he chuckled. "Two boys and a girl. Smart like me and as beautiful as their mother."

"So, we have one down, one -maybe two- to go," she smiled.

Pavel pressed a kiss against her temple, "I'm prepared to hold you to that."

"I know."

* * *

"Mama?" Yuri looked at her. Though it hasn't been that long and her son looked to be about the same age as his father, she was actually getting used to the whole mom thing.

"Yes, милый?" Jim asked, looking up from her PADD at the young adult, who looked almost exactly like Pavel, sitting across from her. The effect of having only his DNA, Yuri was a near clone. Jim says near because his -very short- life experiences made him a completely different person.

"Do you think I'd ever be allowed to join Starfleet?" her son asked.

"I honestly don't know. There are a few races, not ours but a few, that grow rapidly due to short lifespans. They join up at two and three years old. But humans are different. I wouldn't even begin to know how to explain your birthday."

"What is my birthday?"

"Twenty-two-sixty-two point three-four-five. December tenth."

"Yours is January fourth and papa's is in September, right?"

"Yep, the nineteenth," she smiled. "You've been reading personnel files."

"I just wanted to… know to… to understand," he said.

"You could've just asked. I'll tell you anything you want to know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Paris doesn't have a first name, I gave her Naima, which means calm.
> 
> Yuri is one of many Russian versions of George and Pavlovich literally means son of Pavel, in accordance with Russian naming customs. Since there was really no good place to put it, Jim and Pavel decided not to to give Yuri 'Kirk'.
> 
> Мама, я знаю, как написать компьютерный код - Mama, I know how to write computer code.  
> милый - Sweetie
> 
> I'm actually considering making this chapter and the last one into a longer story of their own.


	23. This House is on Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm breaching into STB territory with this one. I don't think there are any spoilers since the ship is destroyed in the trailer.

"The impulse engines are still trying to draw power from the drive section," Sulu said from the command chair.

"We will have to separate the saucer, Captain," Pavel told Jim over the comm system from his station on the bridge.

"I'll handle it," she said after a beat, no doubt heartbroken that they were, in fact, watching the destruction of the only home Jim's ever really had. "Kirk out."

When that alien girl, Kalara something, showed up on the Yorktown with a sob story about her ship crashing and her crew needing help, Commodore Paris asked Jim to take a look. Despite the fact that they were supposed to be on shore leave, Pavel knew Jim couldn't bring herself to say no, that's just not how she's wired. So, they recalled the crew, left their -fully grown- infant son with Sulu's husband, Ben, and headed into the nebula to save the downed ship.

At least, that was the plan until they were attacked by a swarm of some kind and boarded. Now, the crew members who weren't dead were trying to get the hell out of dodge, the warp nacelles were gone, the bridge lost contact with Spock and McCoy, Uhura was missing, Jim issued the order to abandon ship and Pavel had a feeling that things were only going to get worse. Which is exactly what happened a few minutes after the halves separated. Three of the enemy soldiers blew the door and entered the bridge, took out some of the few remaining officers and turned their weapons on him, Sulu and Hastings.

Pavel took a deep breath and prepared for the shot that never came. Jim entered the bridge, taking the soldiers out with one of the Enterprise's rifles, which that she probably picked up from a dead comrade if the blood on it and her was any indication, "How many of the crew is still on the ship?"

"Just us," Sulu told her. "But from the scans it looks like they're taking them."

"Captain," Pavel said, "we have been pulled into the planet's gravity. There is no way to turn us around. The saucer will crash."

"Nothing lasts forever," she muttered to herself before taking a deep breath. "Get to your Kelvin pods."

"Jim," he said, wrapping his hand around hers and giving it a squeeze. "I..." He didn't know what to say. There were things that he hadn't told her and there were things he had that he wanted to say again. There wasn't time for either.

"I'll see you on the ground, Pasha," Jim whispered before pressing a soft kiss against his lips.

"You better, солнышко."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I decided that I will actually do 21 & 22 as a whole story.  
> солнышко - sunshine


	24. Teaming Up on Mama

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is post-STB.

"Mama. Papa," Yuri said when he saw them, rushing through the officers on Yorktown to pull Jim into a tight hug. Despite the pain Pavel knew she was in, she clutched their boy in her arms with every bit of strength she had left. "You look like crap."

"All in a day's work," she chuckled, running her fingers through Yuri's curls. "You okay?"

"I'm okay, I just did what Ben told me to do," Yuri told them.

"Well, listening to a Sulu is generally a good idea," Jim chuckled.

Pavel watched Jim as she recounted parts of the last day and a half to their son in a mostly child-friendly way because, despite having the body of a twenty year old, he was still a child. Yuri, of course, had a million and three questions. No doubt due to the fact that Jim's beautiful blue eyes were framed in bruises and blood, her hair hung in a messy ponytail that used to be a bun and her survival uniform was covered in dirt and who knows what else. Pavel didn't even want to know what he looked like, he was just glad that the first thing they managed to find on that planet was each other.

"Jim, you know you should get that checked out," Pavel said when she flinched for the millionth time. If he had to guess, a few of her ribs were probably broken, which also meant she was probably having trouble breathing.

"You're hurt," Yuri said, his eyes going wide as he checked her over, muttering about broken bones and internal bleeding and a whole slew of other things that he must've read in the medical database.

"Little bit. Wanted to see you first," Jim smiled.

"No, you want to avoid Uncle Bones. He's gonna have a fit," their son chuckled.

"You know, he's got you there," Pavel smiled.

"Yea, yea," she said. "No teaming up on me."

Yuri shrugged, "Can't help it. It's our job."


End file.
